Toy runways



Oct. 29, 1963 A. EINFALT 3,103,398

TOY RUNWAYS Filed Feb. 28, 1961, 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. EINFALT TOY RUNWAYS Oct. 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1961 Mim" H M INVENTOR ffl/fred im falf ATTORN United States Patent O 3,108,398 TOY RUNWAYS Alfred Einfalt, Nnrnberg, Germany, assignor to Gebruder Einfalt Blechspielwarenfabrik, Numberg, Germany, a

firm

Filed Feb. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 92,195 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 3, 1961 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-216) The invention relates to a toy runway comprising a multiple track arrangement with vehicles running thereon and stopping and releasing points for these vehicles.

According to the invention the toy runway is characterized in that at least two independent tracks are provided. By this novel construction it is possible to allow a plurality of toy vehicles to run independently of each other on two separate tracks. In order to increase the interest of the toy it is advisable for at least one track to be constructed for railway trac and at least one for motor traflic. The railway track is constructed to imitate the ballast bed with sleepers and rails while the motor track is made to represent a roadway.

According to the invention the runway is composed of two sections which are connected by an imitation bridge over which both the railway track and the motor track lead. Separating the toy runway into separate sections only connected by a bridge makes it possible to provide the individual sections with diierent landscapes. Thus, for example, one of the sections of the railway can be made to represent a town while the other section represents the countryside.

On each section both the railway track and also the motor track have a reversing loop, which loops are arranged one behind the other preferably in the longitudinal direction of the bridge.

According to another feature of the invention, the bridge connecting the two runway sections is divided in its transverse central plane and the bridge parapets are connected by a hinge in this plane. This arrangement presents the advantage that one section of the runway can be folded on to the other section and when thus folded the two sections are parallel to each other at a distance apart. In this manner the toy runway requires considerably less space when not in use or when being transported. To prevent the toy runway from becoming damaged when packed, each of the two sections is provided with at least one raised portion or projection, representing for example a tunnel or buildings, and serving as spacing elements between the two sections when the runway is in folded condition.

To add to the interest of the toy, switch levers are fitted on the underside of the vsections in known manner for controlling stops arranged on the tracks. It is then particularly advantageous to construct each switch lever in such a manner that it controls from one track a vehicle running on the other track and can then disengage a stop both in its own track as well as in the other track.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention diagrammatically and by way of example. In the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy runway;

FIG. 2 shows the runway in folded condition, and

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FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 2.

The toy runway according to the invention consists of two sections a and b which are connected by an imitation bridge c. Both the section a and also the section b carry a railway track d and a motor track e, the former preferably constructed to represent a ballast bed with sleepers and rails and the latter to represent a roadway. At least one toy vehicle f representing a self-propelled railway car runs on the track d and at least one toy vehicle g representing an automobile runs on the track e.

Each of the tracks d and e has two reversing loops h and h and i respectively one loop being on each of the sections a and b. The loops h and z" on the tracks d and e on the one section can be arranged mirror reversed to their loops h and z' on the other section. Both the tracks d and e pass over the imitation bridge c. This bridge c is divided in its transverse central plane and the parapets k of the bridge are hingedly connected in this plane, for example, by rivets l. Raised portions or projections, which may represent a tunnel m or a building n are provided on the runway.

This construct-ion enables the runway to be folded as shown in FIG. 2, when it is not in use or for transport, the section b then rests on the section a. In the embodiment illustrated stopping places o, o and p are also provided. The stopping place p, which consists in known manner of an aperture in the track into which aperture a drop lever of a vehicle running thereover falls, is controlled by a lever q which on being depressed shifts a plate into the aperture at the stopping place p. On the other hand the stopping places o and o' are controlled by a common lever r. This control lever r is on the same track as the stopping place o which it controls, whereas the stopping place o which it also controls is located on the other track which is independent of the track in which the lever ris situated.

I claim:

1. A toy runway comprising: a base section; at least two independent tracks on said base section; each of said tracks adapted to receive at least one self-propelled toy vehicle; stop means for interrupting vehicle movement at stopping places on at least one of said tracks; release means for disabling said stop means; and means for actuating said release means, said last mentioned means being positioned on the other of said tracks for operation by vehicles on said other track.

2. The toy runway recited in claim l in which one of said tracks simulates a railway and the other of said tracks simulates a roadway.

3. The toy runway recited in claim l including a pair of base sections; and means hingedly connecting said sections, each of said tracks extending between said sections.

4. The toy runway recited in claim 3 in which said means connecting said base sections simulates a bridge having upstanding parapets.

5. The toy runway recited in claim 4 including further, an upstanding projection on at least one of said base sections to simulate a building structure, and wherein the pivot of said connecting means is in said parapets above the level of said base sections, whereby said sections, upon folding, are retained in parallel spaced relation.

6. The toy runway recited in claim 1 in which said stop means are apertures formed in said tracks.

7. The toy runway recited in claim 6 in which said release means is a plate for blocking said aperture and in which said actuating means is a swing lever pivotally supported under said base section, said lever supporting said plate on one end and having its other end projecting upwardly through the other of said tracks.

8. A toy runway comprising: a base section; rst and second independent, continuous tracks on said base section; at least one self-propelled toy vehicle on said first track; at least two self-propelled toy vehicles on said second track, at least one stopping place for interrupting vehicle movement on each of said tracks; release means for disabling said stopping places, said release means including a swing lever having an arm projecting upwardly from said second track for engagement by said vehicles thereon. Y

9. The toy runway recited in claim 8 wherein said release means for stopping places on both said tracks and wherein said swing lever is common to both said stopping places.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A TOY RUNWAY COMPRISING: A BASE SECTION; AT LEAST TWO INDEPENDENT TRACKS ON SAID BASE SECTION; EACH OF SAID TRACKS ADAPTED TO RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE SELF-PROPELLED TOY VEHICLE; STOP MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING VEHICLE MOVEMENT AT STOPPING PLACES ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TRACKS; RELEASE MEANS FOR DISABLING SAID STOP MEANS; AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID RELEASE MEANS, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS BE- 